Design firms Arcadis and Sweco Belgium have been awarded a multiannual service contract by the Flemish Region for the redevelopment of the ring road around Brussels. The works affect the northern part of the road, between the two connections with the E40, an important east-west connection in Belgium. Together, the two companies will create a team that will provide traffic research, technical plans (for the roads, bridges, tunnels, and other infrastructure), process management, advice on tendering, stakeholder management, and communication. The annual contract value is estimated at € 3 million (excl. VAT).

Jochem Binst

The redevelopment of the ring road and adjacent infrastructure aims to ensure smoother and safer traffic in the Brussels area. The objective of the project is to separate the main carriageway as much as possible from parallel lanes, so that weaving maneuvers are avoided. In parallel, “adjacent” infrastructure will be created, consisting of tram lines and bicycle flyovers or tunnels, which will improve the connection of the capital’s suburbs to the center.

Flemish Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Ben Weyts: “I am investing in this project to make traffic smoother and safer. Where it isn’t moving fast enough, we have to act intelligently. The investments in the redevelopment of the Brussels ring road will immediately be a lever for the Flemish economy.”

For this ambitious project, Arcadis and Sweco are joining forces in the newly created “MoVeR0” consortium. They will advise the Flemish Region from the design phase to the delivery of the upgraded Ring.

Previously, in 2016, the Flemish Region presented the plans for the redevelopment of the ring road, including a separation of traffic flows. Arcadis and Sweco will now further develop the existing concept design. This operation will mainly consist of updating the concept design to the latest known traffic statistics, developing detailed technical plans, and consulting local stakeholders. The final plan will be executed in several phases.

Luc Hellemans, CEO of Arcadis Europe South (Belgium, France, Italy and Spain): “Our combination of expertise and capacity were the deciding factors for the acceptation of our proposal. The approach of Arcadis and Sweco guarantees the Flemish government support and quality throughout the entire process. What we offer is the continuous availability of a multidisciplinary team that will work closely with the client. This is also necessary for such a project, which hinges on close coordination with other mobility policies, existing projects, the environment, and the concerns of stakeholders. A project of this scale simply requires extra manpower and expertise.”

Erwin Malcorps, Managing Director Sweco Belgium: “Due to their extensive know-how, Sweco and Arcadis occupy a crucial position in the development of the main roads in Belgium. For example, we are closely involved with the complete closure of the Antwerp Ring, raising the bridges over the Albert Canal, the new A11 motorway and Metro North in Brussels. Our integrated project team will participate in ensuring that the R0, as the heart of our road network, will continue to support our prosperity. We understand the urgency of this project, especially the impact on our economy, traffic flow and safety, and the quality of life around the ring. As with our other large mobility projects, we want to enable the R0 to reflect contemporary social needs.”